Melissa Graham reads to students during Chef in Classroom Day in Oct. 2010.

Graham founded Purple Asparagus in 2005 to teach Chicago students about eating food that is good for both the body and the planet. Purple Asparagus plays an important role in Go for the Gold, HSC’s partnership with Chicago Public Schools to support schools in meeting the high standards for school food, nutrition education and physical activity set by the HealthierUS School Challenge. Purple Asparagus provides nutrition education to schools and was instrumental in shaping our exciting Chef in the Classroom Day.

With this award, Graham is honored for working to spread knowledge about healthy eating to schools around the city.

"It's sometimes shocking, Graham says, how limited kids' experience with food has been. She recalls one student who approached her after a class on citrus and said she'd never tried an orange before. 'It's so easy to go to the grocery store and buy something that's quick and processed,' said Graham, who also founded Monogramme Events and Catering, which specializes in seasonal and sustainable cuisine. 'There's not enough knowledge about how to work with things that are whole.'"

Congratulations, Melissa! To learn more about the Chicago Tribune’s Good Eating Award and see the other winners, click here!

Comments

Nice post, I agree and it is true that Purple Asparagus plays an important role in "Go for the Gold" because Asparagus is a good source of folic acid, very low in calories, contains no fat or cholesterol, and contain a little sodium. Generally, Asparagus is very good for health.

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